Irene van Lippe-Biesterfeld interviews 12 respected visionary thinkers about their deep connection with the earth and their views on the relationship between humanity and nature. Each contributor adds insights into the urgent change in consciousness that we must adopt in order to heal and restore our holistic relationship with the earth. Includes contributions from Rupert Sheldrake, Jane Goodall, Masaru Emoto, Rigoberta Menchú Tum and others.

Description

About Science, Soul, and the Spirit of Nature

An exploration of the relationship between humans and nature through conversations with 12 leading scientific and social visionaries

• Explores the importance of the unification of humankind and nature as it relates to creation, destruction, diversity, and the spiritual health of the world

Society’s attitude toward nature has changed considerably over the years. Terms pertaining to the anthropocentric paradigm of "mankind in charge," such as supervisor or owner, have been replaced by caretaker or trustee. This approach, although more appropriate, still indicates a complete separation of humankind from nature. Yet increasing numbers of people have begun to feel that they are intrinsically part of nature. This concept of unity with the natural world--that we are nature--is gaining momentum among many innovative social reformers from many diverse fields.

In Science, Soul, and the Spirit of Nature, Irene van Lippe-Biesterfeld interviews 12 respected visionary thinkers, representing all continents, about their deep connection with the earth and their views on the relationship between humanity and nature. Presented as a series of thought-provoking conversations, this book delves deeply into the many conceptions we hold about nature, showing that while many strides have been made in the area of its preservation, we must now take the next step. Each contributor adds insights into the urgent change in consciousness that we must adopt in order to heal and restore our holistic relationship with the earth that was emblematic of the first peoples--reminding us that a separation from and destruction of nature is a spiritual destruction of ourselves.

Excerpt

Book Excerpt

Rupert SheldrakeScientist and author

Years ago, I read Sheldrake’s book The Rebirth of Nature and was fascinated by his approach. He shows us how we can think of Nature as “alive” instead of being inanimate and mechanical. I recognized my own experience of reconnecting with that life and magic suddenly described by a scientist who got his education at several very renowned places but still manages to stay the “wondering boy” of his youth.

I start our talk, the way I do with all my conversation partners in this book, with the question: What is nature?

Rupert Sheldrake: Nature is all there is. And I suppose nature is the entire universe, the entire physical world. In that sense, we are part of nature. You can use nature as an inclusive term to represent the whole of nature, which is the way it is used in natural sciences, the sciences of nature. But nature is often used as a word in opposition to culture or to humanity. And then the word is used in a different sense, as a distinction between human beings and human culture and nature, which unfolds spontaneously, without human interference.

You have the same ambiguity about the word animal. Biologically speaking, we are animals. But people very often use the word animal to distinguish between humans and animals. So it is really a matter of usage of words. We have a lot of words that we can use in different senses.

Is it the usage of words or is it the separation we have come to live with?

RS: I think all of nature is based on boundaries and separations. It is a feature of natural order. Every animal has a skin that separates it from the world outside. Every ecosystem has a kind of limit. The ocean has a limit in the shoreline. The forest has a limit in the tree-line or the mountains. A cell has a membrane, which is its limit or boundary. So, if you look at the way nature is built up, it is built up of systems, which have limits or boundaries, but which then are part of a larger system with its own limits or boundaries. We see the same thing in the way countries are organized. Parishes, counties, nations, and continents are different levels of boundaries and limits within that system. This is just the way that everything is organized.

In Western culture, there is that sense of separation, but I think that is only partial. One of the points that struck me years ago, and which I found reinforced ever since, is that most people in the Western world actually have two attitudes towards nature. One of them operates from Monday to Friday: the business attitude, which means to control and dominate nature's natural resources. But then the other one, which comes into play during the weekends and holidays, is getting back to nature in a car--which is the ambition of the most affluent people in European society. What do people do who want to get rich by exploiting nature when they've made lots of money? They buy a country estate, so they can have a retreat in nature . . .

How do you explain this?

RS: I think Western culture is based on creating splits and separations. So, most people are quite happy working during the week to make money. But what people would think is their “true self” is not a person in an office. At least in England, most people imagine that their true self is living in the country, cultivating hollyhocks in a cottage garden. This is what many people want to do when they retire. So they think that is their true self, even though it is a complete fantasy and totally unrelated to the way they actually live, which may be living in a suburb and working in an office.

If we go on in this split way, it is obvious that we will see that it can't last forever; that at a certain moment, the candy box will be empty.

RS: Oh, of course. But the reason that people don't feel this extreme alienation is because it doesn't happen all the time. Look at George Bush, for example, who wants to open up wildlife refuges in Alaska for oil drilling. And look at his poor environmental views in general. But I am quite sure that when he is on his ranch in Texas, he enjoys the broad skies and fresh air, and he probably really appreciates it.

Are you being ironic?

RS: No! I think this is the normal way that people in the West have come to live and have come to expect to live. I think it is an undesirable way of doing it, but I think it is the way in which the movers and shakers of our society became rich and powerful. And those rich and powerful, at least in England, tend to go away for the weekend to the country and don't feel the disjunction from the country because they actually get quite a lot of unspoiled nature in their lives. They are able to believe that it is okay to have all this economic activity, because they can actually have both.

With the work that I have been doing on people's relationships with pet animals we have a situation where the split is particularly clear. Most pet-owners keep animals because they actually want a connection with the animal, non-human world. There is no economic reason for people in Holland or England to keep dogs or cats. They don't usually need guard dogs; they don't need hunting dogs unless they are part of this very small minority that goes hunting. They don't need cats to kill mice in farmyards. And people living in urban apartments with these animals keep them even though they are expensive. They keep them because there is some deep need to connect with the animal world.

Table of Contents

Table of content

Foreword by Yolanda Kakabadse

Introduction

Rigoberta Menchú Tum

Matthijs G. C. Schouten

Gareth Patterson

Credo Vusamazulu Mutwa

Denise Linn

Hans Andeweg

Masaru Emoto

Rupert Sheldrake

Jane Goodall

Arne Naess

James Wolfensohn

Patricia Mische

Epilogue

About the Contributors

Author Bio

Irene van Lippe-Biesterfeld, princess of the Netherlands, is a social reformer and honorary member of the international think-tank The Club of Budapest. She manages a nature reserve in South Africa and is the author of several books, including Dialogue with Nature. Jessica van Tijn is a journalist who lives in both Mexico and The Netherlands.

Reviews

Reviews

Book Praise

Book Praise

"Princess Irene’s understanding reaches to the deepest layers of the human psyche--the depths where we not only think but actually feel our oneness with nature."Ervin Laszlo, author of Science and the Akashic Field

"The compilation of these interviews is enlightening, as well as sincerely thought provoking. Each contributor brings a unique cultural and social perspective as well as unique understanding to the definition of what our place is on this earth and with the world, in general."Sonia von Matt Stoddard, Awareness, Mar-Apr 2006

"Each contributor adds insights into the urgent change in consciousness that we need to heal and restore our holistic relationship with the earth."Lotus Guide, May-June 2006

"Not only does the book stimulate our thoughts, instigate our awareness, but it also presents essential and drastic measures and steps that need to be taken in order to prevent the destruction of Nature, which also includes, ourselves.:" Sheela Bhojwani, East and West Series, Vol. 49 No. 11, Nov 2007

Back Cover

Back Cover Copy

NEW SCIENCE / ECOLOGY

“Irene’s understanding reaches to the deepest layers of the human psyche--the depths where we not only think but actually feel our oneness with nature.” --Ervin Laszlo, author of Science and the Akashic Field

Society’s attitude toward nature has changed considerably over the years. Terms such as caretaker or trustee have replaced anthropocentric, “humankind in charge” terms such as supervisor or owner. This approach, although more appropriate, still indicates a complete separation of humankind from the natural world. Yet increasing numbers of people have begun to feel that they are intrinsically part of nature. This concept of unity with the natural world--that we are nature--is gaining momentum among many innovative social reformers from many diverse fields.

In Science, Soul, and the Spirit of Nature, Irene van Lippe-Biesterfeld interviews twelve respected visionary thinkers, representing all continents, about their deep connection with Earth and their views on the relationship between humanity and the natural world. Presented as a series of thought-provoking conversations, this book delves deeply into the many conceptions we hold about nature, showing that while we have made great strides in the area of its preservation, we must now take the next step toward ensuring its survival. Each contributor adds insights into the urgent change in consciousness that we must adopt in order to heal and restore the holistic relationship between humans and Earth that was emblematic of the first peoples. Together these voices remind us that separation from and destruction of nature is a destruction of ourselves.

IRENE VAN LIPPE-BIESTERFELD, princess of the Netherlands, is a social reformer, honorary member of the international think-tank The Club of Budapest, and founder and president of the Lippe-Biesterfeld Nature College Foundation. She manages a nature reserve in South Africa and is the author of several books, including Dialogue with Nature. JESSICA VAN TIJN is a journalist who lives in both Mexico and the Netherlands.

Sign Up to receive our online or printed catalogs

If you wish to receive announcements of books in categories of your interest.

CONNECT WITH US

Founded in 1975, Inner Traditions • Bear & Company is one of the largest and oldest publishing houses in the world devoted exclusively to the subjects of spirituality, the occult, ancient mysteries, new science, holistic health, and natural medicine. Happily nestled in the Green Mountains of Vermont for more than 30 years, the company now has over 1,700 titles in print.